1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of inserting deoxyribonucleic acids and fragments of deoxyribonucleic acids into living cells, including mammalian cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to our invention, lipid vesicle encapsulation techniques have not been available for the efficient encapsulation of large macromolecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid. The deoxyribonucleic acid molecule is relatively large; i.e.; on the order of about 20 angstroms in thickness and having lengths of circa 30,000 angstroms. By the method of our invention, more fully described in our copending patent application Ser. No. 881,116 filed Feb. 24, 1978, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,871, these large macromolecules are efficiently encapsulated in oligolamellar lipid vesicles.
In addition, the structure of the prior art lipid vesicles has not been conducive to utilization of the encapsulated deoxyribonucleic acids. Cellular uptake of multilamellar vesicles and/or their contents appears to be less efficient than has been experienced with monolamellar or oligolamellar structured lipid vesicles.